Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-06-04
WITH A PANTHER. !
THRILLING STORY TOLD HY a WIS.
coNsIN PIONEER.

4 Baokwoods Lad Makes the Acquaint.
ancs u - Ovsrsroun, Good Natnrsd
''Cnts-An Ominous Growling-A RI.
oneer ID Barn.
ssWhen was lad Of 1O, says Silas
Smith, an old pioneer Of Wisconsin, Tiny
father removed to this state from New
England and settled about three miles
from Madison. The place was village
then, and small one at that, and / re-
member once seeing deer running down
the main street with dozen dogs after
him. The road from the village to our
clearing was little better than q path.
There were only two farmers having oxen
and wagons, and 30 there was little use
for roads. Just at the edge Of the woods
outside the village was q log barn belong
ing to storekeeper named Roberts. That
was the last building we passed going
home, and the first one come to as we en-
tered the village clearing. From that
stable to my fathers house, three miles,
there was only one break in the forest,
and that was on o ten acre clearing.
AFTER having passed over the route
several times with my father was per-
mitted to travel it alone whenever any
thing was wanted from town. After q
time could have almost followed the
trail with my eyes shut, and had no fear
OF the wolves and panthers / heard talked
about. because / was told that no wild
beast ever attacked people by daylight.
It was one OF the first days Of October
that, as / was about half way through the
woods on an crrand to the village, and the
time being midforenoon, q panther sprang
from the limbs of q large beech under
which was passing, and alighted upon
the ground beside me. There was not
even groWl to warn me Of his presence,
and he dropped down beside me as softly
as q cat and as good natured as rabbit.
I had never heard panther described,
and, while suspected this was one, was
not sure. He jumped into the path ahead
Of me and began to zigzag back and forth
across it, purring all the time like cat,
and seeming to be highly pleased when
my legs rubbed against him.
.s A GOOD NATURED "CAT."
81 was bit frightened at first, hut
after few minutes made up my mind
that it was some animal which would not
hurt me, and then we had q rOmping
time. would clap my hands and shout
Sick, 'eml and the panther would 90
skurrying here and there like young
pup, sometimes rolling over and over ON
the leaves, and again making such leaps
and bounds as excited my admiration.
When we came to level piece of ground
/ ran race with him, and when he got
into the patch ahead Of me seized the
tipof his tab and hung on and laughed
until the woods rang. On two or three
occasions, as the panther was gamboling
about me, he made q clean spring right
over my head.
ut was only when we reached the edge
Of the village clearing that suspected the
identity Of my visitor. The near presence
Of other human beings seemed to anger
him, and he snarled and growled and tore
at the ground with his claws. Ipatted him
On the back and sm0othed his fur, and he
began purring again and was restored to
GOOD nature. He trotted alongside Of me
about half way to the barn have men
toned, and then slipped away into
some fallen timber. had been quite
badly frightened for some minutes, and
now seized this chance to make on. Ny
movements were fastened by an ominous
growing from the timber, and walked
on at fast pace, and was within few
steps when heard fierce scream and
turned my head and saw the great cat
bounding toward me. The door of the
barn was partly open, and without an In
stant's reflection sprang inside and
closed It. Before / could have counted
twenty the panther was at hand. Luckily
for me Il was STRONG, rough door, made
81 slabs and well put together. The beast
made terrific efforts to get A, and his
sharp claws made the splinxetS Az IS he
set them into the wood There was no